Mumbai, May 5 (). The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday unanimously rejected the resignation of National President Sharad Pawar and appealed to him to continue in the post.
The decision was taken by the panel formed by Pawar to select the new president. The convenor of the committee and Vice President of NCP Praful M. Patel gave this information. In a dramatic development, Pawar announced his resignation on May 2.
Addressing a packed media conference, Patel said the panel’s decision on the two proposals – rejecting the resignations and urging him to continue as party chief – would be communicated to Pawar, who would take a final call on them. .
The committee also resolved that it was unable to elect another chairman in place of Pawar and requested him to continue till the end of his full term. This shows that the party is completely united with him, contrary to recent speculations of a possible split.
NCP state president Jayant Patil said the resolutions have been passed as per everyone’s expectations and now a team of senior leaders will meet Pawar and inform him about it.
The official decision was greeted with thunderous applause. The workers who had gathered outside the party headquarters had tears in their eyes and started dancing and singing.
Patel said that the entire party has made its feelings clear on Pawar’s decision. His views were again put forth in the committee meeting today, as the grassroots workers of the party eagerly await the decision.
Amidst all this, Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar has taken a different stand for the last four days. He is advocating the election of a new party chief.
Ajit Pawar did not comment on the panel’s decision. He is likely to meet senior Pawar later.
Soon after 83-year-old Pawar announced his resignation, there was a flurry of protests, demonstrations, hunger strikes, appeals and letters written in blood, resignations of smaller leaders in the NCP demanding rollback of the decision.
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